Tragic death of one of our own

[eveled]

Wow! That is way too young. Thoughts and prayers for his family in this difficult time.

[bestgear]

Thank you for the outpouring of support at this difficult time. Our little knife community is smaller without Ivoryman (Brian), but we remain strong and committed to our purpose as indicated in the first line of our mission statement which reads “At AAPK we're not just about knives - we're about stories, history, and connections". Some of our connections run deep like the one between Brian and QTCut5 (Quintus) as evidenced in this very topic and Q has stepped-up to cover the pledge that Brian made to the June 2025 Monthly Knife Giveaway. I am humbled by this voluntary display of love and friendship and honored to represent Q’s decision.

Please visit https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... hp?t=85019 to see the very special substitute knife that Q has graciously donated on behalf of Brian. This month’s giveaway is sure to become an heirloom knife in anyone’s collection so if you are eligible, please consider entering the giveaway if you haven’t already.

[Paladin]

Thank you for the outpouring of support at this difficult time. Our little knife community is smaller without Ivoryman (Brian), but we remain strong and committed to our purpose as indicated in the first line of our mission statement which reads “At AAPK we're not just about knives - we're about stories, history, and connections". Some of our connections run deep like the one between Brian and QTCut5 (Quintus) as evidenced in this very topic and Q has stepped-up to cover the pledge that Brian made to the June 2025 Monthly Knife Giveaway. I am humbled by this voluntary display of love and friendship and honored to represent Q’s decision.

Please visit https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... hp?t=85019 to see the very special substitute knife that Q has graciously donated on behalf of Brian. This month’s giveaway is sure to become an heirloom knife in anyone’s collection so if you are eligible, please consider entering the giveaway if you haven’t already.

Isn't that great. Way to go QT! We do have some fine folks here.

Ray

[Ridgegrass]

Seems everyone's memories of him are good ones. Can't ask for more than that. R.I.P. J.O'.

[doglegg]

My own gifts from Brian.

[bestgear]

My own gifts from Brian.

really special Floyd, cherish them and tell somebody in your family the story so the legacy can carry on

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Thank you Q. Brian was a heck of nice guy. I always enjoyed his posts and the incredible quality of the knives that he owned. He was a man of taste.
I will miss him very much. God Speed Brian.

[QTCut5]

Do you have a reference to an obituary, Q? I tried searching Seattle obituaries but couldn't find one.

Here is the reference to Brian's obituary:

https://cascadememorial.com/obituary/66 ... /#obituary

I'm sure his family would appreciate any sentiments from AAPK members who knew him.

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

Ivoryman's last post to the EDC thread is on page 2419. How fitting that there's wonderful pictures of family, nature, food and of course a stunning classic of a knife. I didn't know the man. But his passion was on full display here on the forum. It's so awesome when someone is passionate about something and that passion is only outmatched by a second passion for sharing the first. His amazing photos and cheerful spirit, always complementing fellow members, really lit this place up.

In reading about him I learned that he loved being a dad and that his son is named Donovan. I too love being a Dad and my eldest son is also named Donovan. I had more in common with the man than I knew, and it's a good feeling because he was such a fine example of a human being. Rest in eternal peace friend.

[KLJ77]

For lack of confusion, page 2419, instead of 2491. Don't mean to step on you, Weirdknifeguy, just making a correction.

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... 5#p1196845

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

For lack of confusion, page 2419, instead of 2491. Don't mean to step on you, Weirdknifeguy, just making a correction.

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... 5#p1196845

Edited my post, thanks much ken. My eyes were a bit blurry, i mistyped that originally.

[Miller Bro's]

RIP Brian, condolences to the family.

[Gunstock Jack]

I am truly sad to hear the news about Brian. He and I became friends years ago while trading knives; he lived 'across the pond' and would occasionally take his motorcycle on the ferry and come across Puget Sound to meet up with me in Kingston, where we spent a lot of hours CF & CE pocket knives, especially the ivory ones. Brian selflessly helped me out every year for the last several years at the OKCA knife show in April. He loved coming and was always there helping with set-up and showing and discussing knives with folks and just generally being helpful. Brian was always willing to go out of his way to help others and he will be seriously missed.

[bestgear]

Ivoryman (Brian) and I never conducted business or traded with each other and hence I am without an ivory trinket that might have been included with one of those deals. Many moons ago I purchased 2 Lone Wolf Paul knives & 1 Gerber Paul knife from Q that had the original ivory Micarta scales (special ordered for the 2 Lone Wolf Pauls when he bought them from AG Russell) replaced with elephant ivory. They are stunning and they pushed all the right buttons for me and in time they made their way to the mainland. I knew that Orvet (Dale) had the original ivory Micarta scales and because of that I had assumed that he had installed the elephant ivory in the 3 knives.

I tell you this because after we lost Brian earlier this week, I started to think that just maybe my 3 elephant ivory knives had some Brian provenance so I reached out to Q and (with his permission), this what he said:

Actually, I bought those 2 Lone Wolf & 1 Gerber Paul knives, sent them to Brian with $600 and he drove a couple hours to a place called Boones Trading Post to purchase the ivory that he then cut, shaped, drilled, sanded and installed on the knives himself in his home shop. Brian modded 5 knives for me in that deal; you have 3 of them and I kept the other 2 Lone Wolf Pauls (Perfecto & Executive). That is the complete story of the provenance of those one of a kind Ivoryman mods.

My photographic knife artistic ability is not great but like Q did with the June giveaway knife, I tried to get some shots to honor Ivoryman's natural knife photography. I think he would get a chuckle!

[KLJ77]

For lack of confusion, page 2419, instead of 2491. Don't mean to step on you, Weirdknifeguy, just making a correction.

https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... 5#p1196845

Edited my post, thanks much ken. My eyes were a bit blurry, i mistyped that originally.

Glad to help.

[KLJ77]

Those three knives are most exquisite and VERY attractive, Tom. They now have a much more 'special' meaning to your ownership with a three-way provenance history. You have been BLESSED!

[QTCut5]

2 Lone Wolf Paul knives & 1 Gerber Paul

Nice, Tom

Apparently, my memory is not as sharp as I thought because I see that I was mistaken about the Paul Pocket Knife being a Gerber; clearly, it's a Lone Wolf just like the Presto and the Prankster

A little more history about those knives: The only reason I sold them is because at the time, I needed a bunch of cash for some major unexpected expenses (medical & a new roof on my house). I really I hated to let them go but I asked Ivoryman for his blessing before selling them. Of course he gave it and he was happy they were purchased by another AAPK member so they could "stay in the family" which is how he felt, and many of us feel, about our AAPK community.


Here are the other two elephant ivory Ivoryman mods from that deal that I kept as well as a few of the many trinkets Brian carved for me:

Lone Wolf Paul Perfecto & Lone Wolf Paul Executive

[KLJ77]

Very nice ~Q~ You and Tom have some wonderful prized knives and trinkets with very memorable provenance.

[bestgear]

Lone Wolf Paul Perfecto & Lone Wolf Paul Executive

va-va-voooom Q, your vision in commissioning these was genius, when you need a new transmission I’m your huckleberry

[QTCut5]

Ivoryman was a prolific carver for sure. He was very creative and prone to tinkering in his shop and coming up with all sorts of interesting creations. Some of the things he made and gave me include a bone letter opener with leather-wrapped handle, elk point knife display stand, stag point whistle and a moose tine knife opening tool (works great!). He made the fixed blade knife handle from a moose antler tine he found in the woods. It was impossible to ever get one up on Ivoryman because no matter how many knife bombs I sent him, he always retaliated, and usually with something much nicer than what I had sent him--like the little ivory Cattaraugus coke bottle crown jack he sent me after I gave his daughter, Jade, a jade handled Lone Wolf Paul knife for her high school graduation.

[C-WADE7]

Ivoryman was a prolific carver for sure. He was very creative and prone to tinkering in his shop and coming up with all sorts of interesting creations…

Beautiful knives and carvings from a wonderful friend.

[GSPTOPDOG]

I just logged in after being off-line for most of the week. I am in a state of shock. Ivoryman/I-Man/Brian was such an awesome contributor and outstanding member of the AAPK forum. I always looked forward to his posts and amazing pictures. My best and sincerest regards to his family and may he rest in peace.

[doglegg]

Ivoryman was a prolific carver for sure. He was very creative and prone to tinkering in his shop and coming up with all sorts of interesting creations. Some of the things he made and gave me include a bone letter opener with leather-wrapped handle, elk point knife display stand, stag point whistle and a moose tine knife opening tool (works great!). He made the fixed blade knife handle from a moose antler tine he found in the woods. It was impossible to ever get one up on Ivoryman because no matter how many knife bombs I sent him, he always retaliated, and usually with something much nicer than what I had sent him--like the little ivory Cattaraugus coke bottle crown jack he sent me after I gave his daughter, Jade, a jade handled Lone Wolf Paul knife for her high school graduation.

All treasures Q.

[woodwalker]

So sorry to hear of his passing. He was truly a great man. My condolences to his family and his many friends. He will be missed.

[DM11]

RIP Ivoryman